OSCE, UNODC improve research skills of law enforcement staff

Heleena Kakar, Director of the Research and Studies Department at the Ministry of Counter Narcotics of Afghanistan participates in the research methodology training on 11-22 November 2013 in Dushanbe (OSCE BMSC/Ilona Kazaryan)

DUSHANBE, 22 November 2013 – A two-week training course aimed at improving the research skills of analysts from law enforcement agencies in Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan concluded at the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe today.

Twenty-two researchers and experts attended the course organized in partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The training focused on using the digital tools necessary for analytical work relating to drug and crime data, including statistical software packages such as Excel, SPSS and the GIS software for mapping and geographic data analysis. As a practical element to the course, participants were given an opportunity to apply the new skills and techniques learned in this course in an analysis project.

“The goal of this course is to promote effective research and partnerships among the analytical staff of law enforcement agencies. Proficiency in the tools presented during the course can help enhance skills of data analysis, report writing, and increase productivity,” said Ilona Kazaryan, Chief of Development and Outreach of the OSCE Border Management Staff College.

“This event aims to improve policies, strategies, and measures to combat drug-trafficking in the region and increase networking and coordination between the drug-related agencies,” said Hakan Demirbuken, Programme Manager at the UNODC.

“This knowledge can help better process and organize our data including creating maps, reports and analytical research documents,” said Heleena Kakar, course participant and Director of the Research and Studies Department at the Ministry of Counter Narcotics of Afghanistan.